New York: Europe and the Arabs
A new study supported by UN Women has shown that women represent only 26% of news topics and sources, showing a stark absence in broadcast television, radio, and print media. As reported in the UN Daily News, the study is the latest edition of a global media monitoring project prepared by the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) for Communication Rights, with support from UN Women's Advocacy, Alliance Building, and Transformative Feminist Action (ACT) to End Violence Against Women program.
Women make up half the world's population, yet they represent only a quarter of those seen or heard in the news, UN Women said, adding that this statistic has remained virtually unchanged in the past 15 years, with a slight change of only nine points in 30 years.
It noted that what is equally alarming is that gender-based violence barely makes the news, despite affecting half the world's population. Fewer than 2 in 100 stories cover the abuse that so many women experience. No story is complete without women's voices.
The new study also revealed that only 2 out of 100 stories clearly challenged stereotypes, confirming that the media continues to be a barrier to gender equality by reinforcing existing biases.
"When women are absent, democracy is incomplete," said Kirsi Maddy, Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, calling for "a radical rethink to enable the media to fulfill its role in promoting equality. Without women's voices, there is no complete story, no just democracy, no lasting security, and no shared future."
The study showed that despite the troubling picture, progress has been made in some areas. For example, women now make up 41% of reporters on traditional news stories, an improvement from 28% in 1995.
This is significant because stories by female journalists typically include more women (29%) than stories by men (24%). “We will not back down until women’s voices are heard in every newsroom and every story,” said the UN Women official.